"I have been given the job as the captain so I should be out there leading by example, so I was really stoked that Lisa gave me the nod so I could rectify it," Cox said after the game.

She said the Australians were taught to keep fighting at all cost.

"It doesn't matter if we are down by 11, we are going to fight to the death."

Locked at 37-apiece going into the last quarter, the Australians lifted off the back of Cox who had started brilliantly with 11 goals at 100 per cent accuracy in the first quarter.

With talismanic goal shooter Irene van Dyk sitting out the match the Silver Ferns were forced to rely on Cathrine Latu, 24, who was well controlled but managed to shoot an accurate 27 from 31 although she slowed in the last period.